The present invention relates in general to pool tables and to bumper pool tables which are uniquely adapted to be portable and usable outdoors. More particularly, the present invention relates to essential parts of such tables.
Conventional pool tables typically include a slate, concrete, or honeycomb bed covered with felt and the frame is constructed of wood, metal, fiberglass, or a combination of these materials. While the weight of the pool table is important to the overall stability, the construction of the frame is critical for the support of the slate bed and for stabilizing this slate bed in order to provide a true and level top playing surface. While current-day "felt" is frequently a blended synthetic fiber, it may still be adversely affected by wear, contact with debris and moisture. By all normal concepts and interpretations, these conventional pool tables are never used outdoors nor intended for such use because of their size and weight and because of their susceptibility to environmental conditions such as rain and snow. Pool tables which have been designed for use outdoors have been of sturdy and heavy construction employing concrete slabs. These tables are heavy and nonportable and some use liquid support and leveling means for the heavy concrete surfaces. Furthermore, they are not of a knockdown type wherein the table is easily assembled or disassembled for moving or storage.
An alternative pool table concept which has found certain acceptance due to its smaller size, lighter weight and lower cost is a bumper pool table. These types of pool tables are considerably smaller and lighter in weight than conventional, regulation pool tables and provide a different game format and different game rules. Bumper pool tables typically have an octagonal-shaped top playing surface, a base and a series of raised bumpers which play an active part in the actual game. While such bumper pool tables are generally smaller than conventional pool tables, they are still not suitable for outdoor use because of their weight, and because they are neither designed nor constructed to withstand an outdoor environment. These tables also are not of knockdown construction and are therefore not easily assembled and disassembled into component parts which can be easily moved or stored.
While pool tables and bumper pool tables alike provide an excellent form of recreation, their use is limited to indoors and usually in a fixed location and thus they are typically not used during good weather nor during such occasions as swimming and lawn parties and cookouts. Furthermore, outdoor pool tables have not been portable and can only be used in one location and are not easily disassembled and moved to another location or stored out of the way when use is not desired.
If a portable pool table or a portable knockdown bumper pool table, could be designed and constructed to be used outdoors, it would provide an excellent form of recreation for the above types of gatherings which is not now available. The limited space requirements for playing bumper pool provides a strong incentive for designing a bumper pool table which is both portable and suitably constructed for use outdoors. However, there are certain design constraints envisioned for such a product including the fact that the unit must be waterproof, portable, able to be leveled and able to tell when the playing surface is level, means to secure the table to prevent theft and storage space for the cues and balls. Further, the portable table would have to have means for increasing its weight for proper stability and nonportability when it is in use and means for decreasing its weight and portability when it is moved from outdoors to indoors. One such suitable portable, outdoor pool table is disclosed in our prior, co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 462,626, filed Jan. 31, 1983.
While portability is one aspect of outdoor use, the proper selection of materials is believed to be equally important, if not more important. In the event a user elects not to move the table, such as indoors, its ability to withstand a variety of weather conditions becomes critical. While weather resistant materials exist, the selection of a suitable material must take into consideration assembly of those materials and whether or not their use will have an effect on the game. For example, if silicone rubber is selected, then glueing cannot be used as an assembly option. The result is to force some other type of assembly technique.
The present invention discloses one component part of a pool table construction wherein the selection and use of materials is made so that the table will be suitable for prolonged outdoor use while not sacrificing the durability of construction and reproducibility of game effects and responses.
The following patents may have some relevance to the present invention, but they do not anticipate or render the present invention obvious:
______________________________________ Patent No. Inventor Title ______________________________________ 3,941,378 Bagley Convertible Pool Dining Table with Retractable Ball Box 3,837,645 Criswell Playing Table with Base for Molding Fluid Therein 3,658,328 Kooker Pool game tables and components for use therein ______________________________________
The Bagley patent discloses an indoor dining room table/bumper pool table. This table is intended to convert from a dining room table to a bumper pool table. Criswell discloses an outdoor regulation pool table which uses a concrete slab for the playing surface. The concrete slab's weight is supported by and leveled by liquid contained in the multi-pedestal support arrangement which is disposed beneath the concrete slab. Criswell provides a sturdy and solid outdoor table which would resist the weather and the wear and tear of outdoor use. The table is set up in a fixed location and is not portable or of a knockdown construction. While not a bumper pool game, Kooker discloses a single pedestal pool game structure and components made by casting concrete. Kooker provides for ball return passageways that are formed during the casting which collect the balls in a central location and then deliver them to a collection tray extending from the pedestal. The table is not intended to be of a knockdown and portable nature because it is cast of concrete and shown embedded in the ground. Further, Kooker's leveling means rest above the unsecured pedestal cap and the pedestal and the top portion is supported in a direct line with the pedestal.
Since none of the foregoing references adequately address the concept of an outdoor, portable pool table, it is not surprising that they are each silent as to the need to accurately select specific materials and how to incorporate those specific materials into the pool table structure.